Avery Anniversary Fourteen

Formerly brewed at Avery Brewing Company
Style: American Strong Ale
Boulder, Colorado USA

Serve in Snifter, Trappist glass

bottle. This thing was big and matly malty malty!! Brew poured a motor oil black with a huge tan head. Nose was chocolate, toffee, caramel, some spice as well. I t was a little rough on my palet, probably because it was my first strong ale in quite some time.

This is one huge, delicious beer. Huge nose, huge flavor. Huge. Every single drop of this beer screamed at me. What was it screaming you might ask? GET MORE. Unfortunately, this is it. My one and only bottle. Damn. The beer pours out this intriguing brownish/eggplant purpleish color witha huge off-white 3 finger thick head. My first impressions on the aroma was cchocolate covered raisins with an intriguing woody hop aroma. Lots of plums, some vanilla and molasses too. The first time it hits your tongue it’s like getting whacked on the head and you are sort of dazed a bit. Not sure what the hell’s going on. There’s some figs/plums, molasses, dark chocolate, smoke, vanilla with interesting underlying spicyness that damned near perfect. Reminded me in some ways of Firestone’s 10. Lots of sstuff going on here and it’s all good.

Wonderful aroma of sweet malty molasses. Tastes just the same except with a strong note of alcohol. Great beer to sip and enjoy. Hops tend to linger at the end. Mostly malts taking over.

UPDATED: AUG 27, 2008 Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 1   Light Brown(1)->Dark(5) : 3   Ruby : 3   Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 2
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 2   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 1
Aroma:
Intensity : 3  
Yeast : 1   Bread : 2   Apple : XX   Esters : XX   Banana : XX   Phenols : XX   Leather : XX   Perfume : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX
Malt : 3   Biscuity : XX   Toast : 2   Caramel : 2   Toffee : XX   Maple : XX   Molasses : XX   Nuts : 2   Candy : 3   Pumpernickel : XX   Cereals : XX   Fruits : 2   Chocolate : 2   Coffee : XX   Vanilla : XX   Grapes : XX   Blackberries : XX   Dates : XX   Cherries : XX   Plums : 2   Figs : XX
Hops : 3   Noble(1)->American(5) : 4   Leafy : XX   Floral : XX   Orange : 3   Herbal : 2   Spicy : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX
Notes :   Earth : XX   Wood : XX   Cloves : XX   Smoke : XX   Pepper : XX   Ginger : XX   Peach/Pear/Apricot : XX   Candi Sugar : XX   Anise : XX   Vinous : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 4   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Sourness : XX   Bitterness : 3   Complex : XX   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 3   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 2   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : 2   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 2   Mineral : XX   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Strong and spicy American strong ale with an oily and sweet palate. Rather classic Avery.

I liked it more on my last try, feeling that the hops were still quite expressive after a solid year in the bottle and the alcohol flavours were less obvious. Raising from 3.0 to 3.4.

A dark brownish pour with ruby highlights, minimal tan head, Aroma is malty with citrus hops and ester, phenol background. We have dark fruity, chocolate and bread malt supporting a healthy infusion of hops; yeast contributed flavors add to complexity, alcohol presence wraps up the package. An interesting and complex brew, quite enjoyable,

Heavy hoppy aroma. Huge frothy, light brown head. Excellent lacing. Fully lasting longevity. Clear amber body. Heavy bitter initial flavor with coffee and liquorice notes. Medium to full, creamy palate.

Pours a dark ruby with a large tan head. Lots of grapefruit and pine in the nose, with a good bit of malts as well. Taste is similar with pepper thrown in along with a bit of burnt cherry and fish sauce. Not too thin, but not chewy. Very balanced with a nice long finish. Reminds me of sitting in front of a fire in the fall, with winter well on its way.

Bottle. Pours dark brown color with a small off-white head. Malty hoppy aroma with some spicy hints. Sweet malty spicy hoppy bitter flavor. Long warming malty hoppy finish.